I don’t think I can put into words how thankful I am for your generosity. This opportunity is one I have been dreaming about for a long time and I can promise you both and everyone at the GDMT that I will not waste a single moment of it. I will of course keep you all up-to-date on my experiences there and will be keeping a blog noting my musical adventures on Cape Breton Island. A million and many thanks.

A follow up: I am going to struggle condensing my time on Cape Breton Island into a couple of sentences as there was just so much wonderful music and moments, but I’ll try my best. Being immersed in the island’s music and culture was such an incredible way to experience how strong an influence Scottish music has had across the Atlantic. Attending several square dances, sessions, and Gaelic language events across the island really helped to improve not only my piping but musicianship as a whole. It has also helped me to establish strong relationships and friendships with musicians/folklore enthusiasts across the province which will be very important for my future studies.

I am so thankful to the Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust for helping me make the most of this opportunity – and with the amount of Gordon’s tunes that were common repertoire across the island his legacy helped me make a simple transition and integrate amongst the local musicians.